POP Tennis, sometimes referred to as mini-tennis, is a modified version of tennis.
A POP Tennis court measures 20′ x 50′ which is over two and a half times smaller than a tennis court. Click here to see a diagram of a regulation court. The net is also lower, 31″ compared to 36″. It is played using a solid paddle with aerodynamic holes in the head and a tennis ball that has been punctured with a needle or safety pin. Players use an underhand serve. All of these features are designed to make POP Tennis easier to learn and play than tennis.
The inventor of POP Tennis, (formerly paddle tennis), Reverend Frank Peer Beal, wanted a game that would help children learn to play tennis. Except for the serve, the strokes in POP Tennis are the same as in tennis and the small court allows for a lot of play at the net. In fact, John Coray, of the International POP Tennis Association, claims that local colleges such as Peperdine, UCLA and others have their tennis teams practice at the POP Tennis courts in Venice Beach, CA.. According to Mr. Coray and the IPTA, playing POP Tennis is a great complement to tennis as players can really focus their practice on footwork and the net game.
POP Tennis is still often confused with platform tennis. The same paddles are used, but platform tennis is played on a raised surface (platform) that can be heated because it is primarily a winter sport played in the Northeast and other colder climates. Platform tennis also has qualities of racquetball or squash in that the rubber ball can be played off of the fences/walls.
POP Tennis is more similar to traditional tennis only played on a smaller court, players use a paddle instead of a strung racquet and the tennis ball is depressurized. The scoring in POP Tennis is identical to tennis.
People of all ages are drawn to POP Tennis. Children love the shorter paddle and ease of play, while seniors really appreciate the smaller court. POP Tennis can be played as a casual, social activity or a fierce competition.
POP Tennis is truly a fun game that can be played for a lifetime.
To learn more about the rules of POP Tennis please visit poptennis.com. To see more videos of POP Tennis in action, search pop or paddle tennis on youtube.
Watch POP Tennis being played live at the courts in Venice Beach, CA on the Venice Beach Web Cam. Under the preset tab, just click on “control now” and then select POP/paddle tennis under the preset tab.